The First Day: A Survival Guide

First-day nerves are real. Today is my first day at The Tadpole Agency and my nerves are as rampant as a child that ate too much sugar. (In a good way, of course.) I applied for an internship at the Tadpole Agency to find experience in the Advertising field. In fact, I’m studying advertising at Texas Tech University. I’m nervous (and excited) to start a career path that I will love. 

We all have nerves. Not the Ariel Schulman movie (Nerve), or the fibers in your body that make you do something. The anxiety-ridden and adrenaline-pumping feeling… the type of feeling that makes your head spin and gives you heart palpitations. It’s almost like you’re on your third cup of coffee for the day.

Usually, people reassess their abilities, how they speak, or overanalyze how they should present themselves. Others think about the people they will meet or the tasks they will complete on their first day. Anticipating the first day, in my opinion, is the most stressful. I am the type of person to worry about the quality of my work, and whether or not it will perform to everyone’s expectations. Imposter syndrome, as many like to call it. 

Before my first day somewhere, it helps me to plan ahead. 

To prepare, I usually: 

1. Plan what to wear the night before and do research about the dress code — it takes an extra step out of the process in the morning.
2. Set my alarms— set multiple, especially since I am notorious for sleeping through my alarm.
3. Leave early— sometimes I leave too early, but it is important to be on time.
4. Know my directions— as someone who is prone to getting lost; knowing where I am going is crucial.

Additionally, to soothe first-day nerves, it is essential to take care of yourself.

1. Stretch! – it helps relieve muscle tension you may have acquired while doing so much thinking.
2. Listen to your favorite song on the ride there—sometimes belting your heart out to Celine Deon is good for the soul.
3. Grab a drink— coffee, tea, soda: you name it. It is good to have something that is comforting to you in your anxious state.
4. Relax— You made it. Remember, the first day is the one and only first day. Enjoy it! It will be over before you know it.